Hartlepool road shut for another month as multi-million revamp project continues

Work taking place in Church Street, Hartlepool

The road has been completely shut to traffic for the last couple of weeks while the bottom half of the road has been closed since November.

Town firm Seymour Civil Engineering is carrying out £2.1m of works which involve installing new kerb lines and footpath paving.

A computer generated image of how Church Street is expected to look after regeneration work

Hartlepool Borough Council says excavation works has been done to reduce the road and footpath levels to address severe level changes that have happened from overlaying of the road in the past.

The council said: “Church Street will re-open in phases. The first phase is expected to re-open at the end of April with the other phases following on when they are complete, however some of the works are weather dependant which could affect the re-opening timescales.”

The overall aim is to make Church Street more open and pedestrian-friendly.

Footpaths along the south of the street are being widened to accommodate the larger numbers of people walking to and from the new Cleveland College of Art and Design campus.

Engraved stones will be set into the pavement outside key buildings, explaining their history.

Diversions are in place along Tower Street and Huckelhoven Way and there is still access to Hartlepool Railway Station. Businesses are open as usual.

The current work is being funded by the Tees Valley Combined Authority, the Heritage Lottery Fund and the council.

Ivor Crowther, head of the Heritage Lottery Fund North-East, previously said: “National Lottery investment of £1.2m will see Church Street restored and revived for the benefit of businesses, residents and visitors.”

It is part of a wider scheme to revitalise the wider Church Street area and transform it into a hub for creative industries.

The project also includes changes to Church Square and converting the former Post Office building in Whitby Street into a new £3m creative business centre.

Church Square is to be pedestrianised and a large oval shaped event space surrounded by trees and raised seating will be created in front of Hartlepool Art Gallery to provide an area for public events.